


A Witch, a Curse and a True Love's Kiss

by atutsie, sesshouchan



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, FemChrollo, First Time Sex, Mystery, Romance, a tineee bit of bondage, but def not chrollo's first time, gender bend, i have my needs, manry pika
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-03-20 06:04:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3639495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atutsie/pseuds/atutsie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sesshouchan/pseuds/sesshouchan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were never entitled with an 'And they lived happily ever after' end in their story. She was the Evil witch with her evil curse; the abominable antagonist who only brought catastrophe to everyone and he was just the Villager A; the ill-fated mob character who suffered from her wickedness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Big big THANKS to my partner/consultant sesshou-chan who helped me a LOOOOOOOOOOT creating this (pitching in ideas, editing some coughJUICYcough parts of this) and seriously without her this fic wouldn't be molded as it is. And also, for putting up with my everyday rants as I wrote this. BREW. I FVKIN LOVE YOU.
> 
> And also to my beta reader, FivePastTwo *smooches*
> 
> fanart by: papaphinks
> 
> (FEMCHROLLO IS A GODDESS. GDI. )

* * *

 

_Once there was a witch who lived deep within the woods, faraway from human civilization. She had an otherworldly beauty that needed no sorcery to enchant males or even females for it was a magic itself and powers which could invade nations, even bring the whole world into her submission in just a flick of her finger. She had resided in the world far longer than a mortal’s lifetime for she was an immortal. Indeed a creature of near omnipotence; yet she decided to never depart from her woods. These woods which were a part of herself._

_Solitude was her comfort; and books were her eternal companion in life. She needed no one else; her home and all the living creatures that resided here were all that mattered to her._

_She neither loathed nor adored humans. Humans were mere creatures who lived in the same soil as her, her knowledge of these frail beings were limited to the thick volumes of dust-covered books she owned and those rare times she had encountered them in her forest; those who meant harm, she gave them wrath; those who meant peace, she gave them kindness._

_Stories about her were passed down. She became an urban legend, given the title of, ‘The Enigmatic Black Witch of the Woods.’ Some spoke praises of her; a savior who could grant wishes, while others spoke ill of her as a spawn of evil who would bring destruction to everything._

_The humans believed the latter; blinded by the envy and fear of her magnificence. She was declared as threat. They joined; torches at hand, angry mob marching towards her woods. They burned her home to ashes in hopes of obliterating her in the face of Earth._

_For the first time, she was freed from her cage. Flying up to the dark tinted sky, she looked down on her tormentors._

_“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; you took away what’s dearest to me, then you shall despair the existence of a dearest one, humans. From this generation onwards, unfortunate children of yours shall bear the cursed eyes; eyes that lit through the dark, as crimson as blood, whose kiss shall perish the life of their true love. And only my death shall break this curse.”_

_She disappeared into the thin air leaving no traces of her behind._

_The woods were her life; her strength and her weakness. And now it was gone._

**-x-x-x-**

The tips of my fingers void of sensation shivered as I rang the doorbell. The chime seeming like a whisper; trounced by the sound of heavy downpour surrounding me. I stepped back and waited, hoping that the concrete walls of this building were able to mute or at least minimize the noise of the rain. My keys were left inside my room, and the front door was my only entrance inside (the back door was still for repair and it had been that way even before I had resided here) lest I prefer climbing the tree to access the window of my room. The latter option might be plausible though, if the door would be left unanswered. The numbing cold was starting to affect my body, and the sticky feeling of the drenched suit on my skin ticked me off. Just seeing the color of my suit is enough to dampen my mood, because black gave off a gloomy feeling, amplified by this weather. And black reminded me a lot of things. But it was needed nevertheless, just for this day; to commemorate _that_ night.

_‘Wear all black, it’s my favorite. Oh, and don’t forget, three pieces of pudding from my favorite bake shop.’_

Her voice suddenly echoed in my head. Not that she would see it anyway.

Shaking off the thoughts, I focused on the door in front of me again. My body began seeking for the warmth inside.

Before I could give another ring, the door opened.

“Kurapika!” Leorio greeted, his brows knitted; a mixture of worry and relief in his voice as soon as he saw me by the door.

A curt nod was my only response. I walked past him and began taking off my shoe as I entered the premises. I grimaced as I saw that even my socks didn’t escape the damping wrath of the rain.

”It’s freaking twelve in the midnight! We were so worried about you!” he shouted. And that was the cue for him to begin his lecture. I could only hope it was not enough to disturb sleep of the other residents in the dorm. ” You didn’t even bring your umbrella! You saw the weather forecast this morning, right?!” he continued, but I was too busy spewing light curses towards my socks that I didn’t have the time to defend myself or even listen to him. Exhaustion was getting the better out of me. My body’s aching for my bed. I badly needed rest. “Why the hell are you wearing that anyway?!” His hand gestured closing the door,” Just where were you the whole d―”

Leorio’s statement was left hanging in the air. I assumed he just had enough talking or that something had caught in his throat. Either way, I was relieved to be spared from his continuous preaching. He’s just on the same age as me; a high school student on his senior year, yet he seemed like some old man due to his words and actions; more so with his appearance that had tricked anyone at first glance about his real age. And I firmly believe it was his side burns’ fault and the stubble he maintained.

I do understand the root of his concerns; but it’s been crowded enough in my thoughts. His preaches would just be gibberish noise that would spill right away from my mind once heard.

“And who the hell is that chick?!?!”

I lift my eyes upwards and saw Leorio giving an accusatory finger behind me. I stopped taking off the excess water in my socks as I followed the direction it was pointed. A girl stood by the door.

 _‘Visual hallucination’_ came first to mind as I recognized her; forcing the logical side of my brain to process. But if even Leorio were able to see her, then I shouldn’t worry for the stability of my mental state.

Black long hair cascading to her waist, black sailor uniform with black socks and shoes then her eyes ―an endless pit of black; she blended well with the dim surroundings brought by the downpour yet at the same time, she stood out in this dark, gloomy place. The sway of her body, with its natural elegance, implying that she’d been waiting for her presence to be acknowledged; patiently like an obedient kid. She was just as drenched as I am, yet her face didn’t show anything. It remained bland.

She pushed the part of her bangs obstructing her vision to the side, revealing that trademark birthmark of a cross in her forehead.

_It’s her. She’s back. In flesh. Standing in her usual stance. One year. In front of me. With me. For me._

Flood of thoughts came to my mind, I’m even surprised it didn’t explode that moment. Overlapping one another; begging to be recognized, to be spoken.

She was all I could see amongst other things.

She was all my eyes wanted to gaze at.

But of all the muddle of thoughts, that one sentence that silenced everything was,

_‘Goddammit. She’s so beautiful.’_

She stared at me, her black orbs that held no emotion yet it pierced through my soul. Then she eyed Leorio, and back to me. A grin followed, just a slight curve on her lips ―challenging me, waiting for an amusing answer from me.

I shrugged, looking back at Leorio while taking off the other shoe. I stood up, “Oh that?” I pointed her with my thumb, “She’s my girlfriend.”

Leorio’s jaw dropped, the sight was too comical to be real; as though I told him that I was actually girl all throughout the years. I wish I had preserved the moment and photographed it.

The sound of her shoes spluttering the mud for every step were echoing to my ears; getting nearer and nearer. She closed the door for Leorio.

“Quwrof Wrlccywrlir.” She said, offering a hand to Leorio.

Leorio shook hands with her albeit with unease. An awkward curve on his lips formed, his futile attempt of a natural smile and leaned towards my ear, “K-kurapika. Can you translate what she just said? Was that German? French? I swear I think I just heard some Hogwarts spell.”

“That’s my name.” She answered before I could reciprocate Leorio’s query. “And Chrollo’s fine actually, Leorio.”

Surprise was the first response his body had told him that he was immobilized for seconds. And Chrollo, reading Leorio like an open book ―he’d always been a transparent person whose face spoke what’s on his mind― responded to the inquiry before it was released from his mouth.

“Kurapika told me your name. After all, I’m his girlfriend.”

There was distinct emphasis of possessiveness ―or was it plain amusement? ― on the word _‘girlfriend.’_

Leorio withdrew his hand from her as he scooted closer to me once again, and whispered ―it was loud anyway even Chrollo can hear it, “Oi Kurapika! Why didn’t you tell us about this? I’ve always thought you swung the other way.”

A drawn-out silence passed by to reminisce the occasions where guys would randomly ask me out, or give me love letters and some persistent ones who wouldn’t succumb regardless of my gender.

I glared at him, while Chrollo only snorted.

“Shut up.” I spoke with palpable sharpness in it; which was directed for the both of them.

After I finished cleaning my shoes, I felt a hand gripping onto my palm. The same feel, the same pattern of palm I have mastered through countless times of being with her. I looked up and saw Chrollo. An expectant stare was on her eyes matched with a playful grin on her lips. I stood up and towered over her; just a few inches though. Chrollo’s height was slightly above the average for females after all; or it might just be me and my genes.

Leorio then stopped me with a vice grip on my arm, “Wai- wai- wait! You’re not seriously gonna bring your girl inside the dorm?! I mean, this is the boys’ dorm, you know?” he asked with his panic-stricken voice, “Boys only dorm?” he added, probably to wake up my common sense.

Oh, it’s always been completely roused, just not in the mood to rise from its cradle and do its job properly.

“Don’t worry. They’ll never find me. I’m great at hide-and-seek.” Chrollo said, turning her head back to Leorio.

“What she said.” I added, pointing her.

“Kurapika! You know you can get suspended―”

But I wasn’t able to hear his whole statement. It was not necessary anyway because I could easily discern its full content. Chrollo and I had gone upstairs, leaving tracks of small puddles along the way. Cleaning them was the least of my concern at that time.

She propped her shoulders onto mine, our hands were caught in between our bodies. “Hi there, boyfriend.”

She even stressed the tease in her tone as she spoke. She’s really enjoying every second of this.

“So, am I going to wear one of your overly sized T-shirts? I don’t have any extra undergarments just to inform you.”

I didn’t have the energy to retort regarding her provocative words. Because my mind was filled with the softness of her hand, the slickness of our clothes joining together both drenched by the rain, the crown of her head leaning on my shoulder and just the feel of her presence beside me.

I stayed silent, letting her intertwine our fingers. We stopped as we reached the door of my room.

“It looks good on you.” She uttered.

I cocked my head and saw her eyes rolled to my direction.

“The earring.” She pointed her finger on my left ear. I fiddled with my earlobe and trailed down the chain to feel the dangling diamond shaped jewel at the end. “I am pleased that you still wear it.” A pause. She then inclined her head in a meager degree, “I’m back, Kurapika.”

I must’ve pressed deeper that I felt the jewel had begun creating dents on my fingers.

Silence was engulfing the atmosphere, as it was just our eyes speaking to each other conveying more meaning than words.

A smile slowly crept on her lips, “Missed me?”

I released the earring from my grip and squeezed her hand, lifting it to my mouth and brushed my lips on her knuckles; pressing it deeper so as to carve my lips on her flesh. I  
moved the doorknob.

“I hate you.”

The door opened and both of us entered the room.

**-x-x-x-**

_The witch ventured the mortal soil then; far away from her woods. She had veiled her witch self and disguised as a human. Time went by, and the witches had become a thing of the past; reduced to myths for scaring children. Her infamous title long forgotten._

_She lived like a human; using different names, in different lives. Some were stolen identities, most were created from her imagination._

_Living and dying repeatedly; erasing the proof of each existence in the world as though they were some dress she would denude when she had enough wearing._

_She neither loathe nor adore humans, undeterred by their deed of destroying her only home, never once did she care about them. They were mere means of her amusement ―saving their lives whilst ending them, leading them to victory whilst bringing their fall ― her living entertainment to fritter away all the time she had._

_She had everything yet she was empty._

_She had no goals; just living. So she lived her life in random directions. After all, any path she took would only lead to one end._

_A century had passed and she enrobed the character of a high school student whom she had given her birth name._

**-x-x-x-**

The sun’s rays reflected from my window crawled to my bed, stretching to the lids of my eyes. Rubbing them as my consciousness stirred, I moved my upper body to get up but it was hindered by the additional weight on my chest. Chrollo’s arm was fully encasing my torso while the other one was curled beside me; leaning her head on my shoulder. Her leg tangled above mine had also trapped my lower limbs. With the pressure she applied against my body, she had officially declared me as her personal human body pillow.

I shifted my position and rolled away from her with caution so as not to disturb her sleep. My feet dangled at edge of the bed. I glanced through the night stand. The little container resting beside the lamp was glaring at me. It had been a year since I began using this as a part of my daily life yet I’ll never acquaint myself to it. I snatched the receptacle together with the eye drops then I stood up and went to the bathroom to fix myself.

Last night was uneventful, we slept together after cleaning ourselves and changing our clothes. She did wear one of my long sleeves and thankfully my cotton pants ―despite her grand declaration that she’d go with the _kareshi_ T-shirt as her pajamas, but the magical words _‘You might catch a cold’_ did its job to prevent her legs to be exposed, even her undergarments remained beneath her clothes.

It was a normal occurrence in the past; seeing her face first thing in the morning. It was the proof of her successful ambushes in my room, disturbing my sleep during unearthly hours by knocking on my window; geared with her ever-ready-ever-complete ‘sleep over’ bag pack. She always had her own ways of forcibly staying inside my room until morning. Sometimes through her lip reverence, _‘Because I couldn’t sleep thinking of you, so take responsibility’_ or through her words of threat _‘If you kick me out, I will yell “RAPE! HELP ME!”’_ The first months she did that, it was well-received by slamming shut of my windows right into her face. Then I’d ask any of my dorm mates still awake at that time―though mostly it would be Leorio or Killua or Gon― to escort her back to her apartment.

She got more creative with her ways of trespassing my room like picking the lock or do some underhanded methods ―exploiting her ‘inhumane’ skills. And when I had enough of her antics, I’d deliberately leave my window unlocked and feign sleeping while she soundlessly crawled on my bed; staying there until morning. Since then I had this habit of allowing my windows to remain unlocked.

Because I knew that if it opened; it would be Chrollo.

The mattress sank as I dropped myself on its coziness once again, burying the lower part of my body beneath the blanket I shared with her. I faced Chrollo, lying on my side. Her black orbs were still concealed behind her lids, her breathing remained even with light snores I could only hear when I moved my ear near her mouth. She was probably in the midst of her dream. The warm breath she exhaled through her parted lips tickled my skin. A part of her face shone beneath the sun’s rays.

 _Angelic._ I thought. She looked too angelic to be real as though she was just a mirage. My fingers traced the soft curves of her face unbeknownst to me. Decreasing the distance between our faces, I settled my palm on her cheek.

The warmth, the solidity, the life pulsing from her; she felt so real.

Thumbing her cheek, I kissed her forehead. Then looked down to have another run down on her sleeping face which I regretted right away.

The swell of her breasts poured out from the constraints of the unbuttoned part of her shirt. Two or maybe even three buttons lesser than what was needed to fully cover them. I buried half of my face into my hand as I closed my eyes and sighed of exasperation. I felt the threat of a blush in my cheeks. They were quite warm to touch. Then the sensation of its softness was pressed further against my chest, and one thigh slipped in between mine almost rubbing against my crotch. Her grip tightened with the slightest movement of my muscle trying to escape from her.

I knew sleep had already abandoned her.

“I’m still waiting for my ‘Wake Up Kiss.’”

Her eyes were still closed when I looked back at her face.

“I doubt it would still be agreeable to call it ‘Wake Up Kiss’ now that you’ve woken up.”

“The ‘Kiss’ part would suffice for me.”

She finally opened her eyes, sneaking her hand beneath my shirt; rubbing small circles on my hips. “And Kurapika,” she called. Loving the feel of her palm against my skin, I just allowed her to bunch up my shirt, its hem reached just below my ribs. The fabric of the blanket covering us moved along her hand as it went up and down my side.

“Don’t worry,” Her thumb played with the garter of my undergarments,” I’m real.”

I closed my eyes, sighed through a smile forming in my lips. Hearing those words from her washed away the doubts I had a while ago. I feel relieved.

I grabbed her wrist, taking advantage of her relaxed muscles.

“I know.” I was able to roll away from her. I sat on the bed, with my back facing her. “And please wear another shirt. Something that completely covers your front.”

“I feel comfortable with this.”

I half turned my head to see her, “I’m not comfortable with other guys seeing that.”

She blinked. Twice. If she were caught off guard, she didn’t show it. She stared at me through her lashes, “I like it when you’re possessive.”

“I like it more that you are mine.”

The shock in her face was quite pronounced this time, “I didn’t know you had the skills as a smooth talker.”

“One year is more than enough to learn the basics.” I tore away the blanket from my lap, “I’m going downstairs. Are you going with me?”

She yawned, shaking her head lightly, “I need to continue my beauty sleep.” She had brought the blanket to her neck. Her eyes were closed and she was already sinking into the comfort of the mattress.

Afterwards I headed downstairs.

Nothing special in our kitchen, just the common one. The cabinets hanging from the ceiling were occupied with kitchen utensils forming a reverse ‘L.’ The lavatory and the dishwasher were located in front, then the dirty kitchen part was on the left side along the entrance of the room. The stove/oven beside it, a microwave and a toaster were standing on the corner. A table in the middle of the kitchen with enough seats to occupy the eight inhabitants of the dorm.

I was alone in the kitchen. There were still hours away from the start of classes so my dorm mates were still on their bed, either sleeping or refusing to escape the warmth of their sheets. I was solely focused on the slicing of onions that I failed to sense Chrollo entering the kitchen. Her footsteps were as light as feathers that it was masked by the sound of my chopping. The moment I felt her was when she had clutched my shoulder, tiptoed, and leaned up to reach my lips. I jolted. The knife escaping my grip but I didn’t hear the clanking it should’ve produced when it hit the floor.

I saw her lips curving upwards seconds before her mouth reached mine, telling me, _‘You won’t refuse me.’_

I gave in and closed my eyes then she kissed me. Just a quick peck on the lips; too short to crave for more yet long enough to memorize the familiar mold that branded her lips. Not too shallow, not too deep yet enough for her taste to linger in my mouth. Always the cunning one; exploiting every opportunity she sees to her benefit.

She pulled away and I opened my eyes. I saw the knife now belonged to her hand; dangling it carelessly on her arms like it was just some glittery purse.  
She stared with the usual innocence, hiding all emotions from her eyes, “I had to comfort you. You were crying.”

I pilfered the threatening knife from her hand in one swift movement. I snorted, just noticing the liquid forming in my eyes. I wiped it with my sleeve.

“Excuses. You know it’s just the onions.”

“But there were still tears.”

She stood by the counter as I continued my task; not within _her_ kissing distance but _mine._ It was her silent invitation of having me initiate the next one.

She stared at me from her position as though cutting onions was the most interesting thing to watch in the world. Then I noticed her scanning the other ingredients scattered around the chopping board, trying to determine the menu for the day.

“We’re having omelets.” I said; getting a step ahead of her inquiries.

A disinterested hum was her response. She propped her elbow on the tiles, lowering her chin on her palm. Her abysmal eyes reeled on my direction, “I thought it’s been your talent to bring demise to every egg―Oh, excuse me. I meant, every dish you cook.” Then I heard a sigh of mocking grief from her, “Those poor things.”

I glared at her through a sideway glance, “Just to tell you, I’ve improved through the year.”

She smiled, “Ohhh. Tell me about it.”

“About what?”

“The whole year you’ve been through.”

My hand stilled. The whole year she asked. I tried to remember any significant events that happened this year, but I failed to do so. Everything was a blur. Every day was just a whole day of routines waiting for the day to end. Exams, home works, school activities, chores; everything was programmed and my body would just move according to its pre-determined course. It was my life before her. I acted so normally, it scared even myself.

Everyone went on with their lives like she never existed, and I let myself get caught up with that flow. That it almost had me thinking, she’s just my imagination. She was just from a well-detailed dream I brought into my reality.

I could only hold onto the intangible evidence of her existence. The ruby earring accompanied with her words of, _‘I’ll come back. Just wait for me.’_

So I waited for that day. Without any specific date, without any assurance that it would come. I just waited and believed into her words.

She shouldn’t have asked a question as cruel as that. A question she could answer herself. But before I could go on further to the dark part of my memories, there were another pair of footsteps inside the kitchen. I looked up and saw Hanzo, our dorm leader. I should’ve known, he’d always been the one to get up early, due to his morning exercises for his judo club.

He entered the room, with towel wrapped around his neck. He headed towards me. The threat of suspension echoing from every step he made. He looked around, I knew he was finding something or rather someone that didn’t need to be there. When he had searched enough, he scratched his bald head, “Gee, it was only Kurapika. I thought a girl had sneaked inside.”

I didn’t look at him as I cracked the eggs. A little bit of the egg white got into the tile, I took a paper towel near me and wiped it. I shrugged, “Must be your imagination.”

“Yeah.” He replied, wiping the sweat in his head. The shine it created as it was reflected on the sun, blinded me. It might even be used as a make-shift mirror with its unblemished appearance. He busied himself with the fridge, and I heard him getting something from it. Then he closed it. He peered his eyes to see what I was doing for a moment, and saw him holding a bottle of water from my peripheral vision. When he had deciphered the meaning of my actions, he gestured his feet to go outside. He said, with his back on me, giving a lazy wave, “Bye.” One more glance on me, “And make sure to make your dish is at least edible.” Then he left the room, his footsteps echoing in the hallways.

“What happened to improvement?” Chrollo said emerging from the table, in front of the lavatory. She must’ve moved there when I was still busy with my thoughts.

“It’s not poisonous anymore at the very least.”

She shrugged, “I see that he’s as clean-shaven as ever.”

“He’s our new dorm leader, by the way.” I said, now beating the eggs. I didn’t look at her.

“And the old one?”

“Graduated.”

“Oh.”

She walked past me which had me assuming that she’d return to her position before Hanzo came in. But she did not; instead, she turned around, grabbed my arm, squeezed it and held my cheek as she leaned up to steal another kiss. This time it was longer, deeper; even biting my lip. She detached herself as she slid her palm away from my arm; a mischievous grin plastered on her, satisfied with her deed.

I held the knife up and told her, “Next time you steal a kiss, it would be this” I lift the knife again, emphasizing the object. ”to fill your mouth. So stop interrupting me.”

Her head was tilted ever so slightly, “Looking forward to it.”

She turned her heels and advanced her feet towards the exit. One, two, three more steps; in gradual movement, as if waiting for something more to happen. No, she really wanted _more._ The way her hips swayed with effortless seduction and how her black flowing tresses moving along with it; magnifying her allure. On her fourth step, the sound of knife dropping on the chopping board echoed on the room. I grabbed her waist, turned her around and pushed her to the counter. There was a loud _thump_ sound when her back came in contact with the wood. Both of us, too occupied to even notice or voice it. My fingers slithered down the curve of her waist, resting them on her hips.

I stared into her obsidian eyes; urging me, pulling me into abyss. Then her fingers reached for my eyes, searching something in its depths, “As crimson as blood.” I flinched, unwary of my constricting grip on her. “The hue I’ve always ador―”

I pulled her and crashed my lips into hers.

The next thing my mind had processed, we were kissing hard, needy; insistent mouths adequately answering each other’s desires. Going deeper and deeper; muffling moans and groans, to hell with the audience we might invoke with our noises. Because what mattered is ‘us’, this moment is ‘ours.’ Then it was just tongue and teeth; lapping, colliding; harsh yet achingly pleasurable. Uncontainable desires bursting like fireworks lit in the sky, and I can’t bring myself to stop. Not that I wanted to anyway.

Her fingers dug on my neck, nails grazing up and down, urging me further. Her caged moans within my mouth were more than enough to drive me to insanity leading my hands on the small of her bare back, bunching her shirt upwards; pulling her closer to my body. The heat emanating from her body implied how badly she wanted me and so do I. This is what I wanted, what I _needed._ To hold her, touch her in different places, to feel each and every curves of her body, elicit the pleasing sounds she does right now, the way she conceded into my touch; everything. Everything about her. The kiss broke just to catch our breaths. I saw the loss of orientation in her face when I pulled away. Another open mouthed kiss that would surely steal the breath out of us. Our hips grinding, personal space be damned.

Definitely not the sweetest kiss ever done.

Once upon a time, I would’ve not dared to kiss her. I’ve always had this imaginary chain in me that had me leashed so well. Self-control was my forte, and I thought I’d be able to hold onto it. But now, things had changed. It didn’t matter anymore. I had to make the best of it, before she slipped away from my grasp, again.

Pulling away, I leaned on her shoulder and whispered breathlessly, “I― really hate you.”

**-x-x-x-**

_Then she met this boy. The boy who had a golden hair; those locks with its blinding luster under the sun. She was lured into him; a forthwith resemblance to a crow plunging on her auspicious find._

_She saw his eyes. They were as crimson as the blood. She was enticed by their fiery glow, her eyes refused to depart from his ethereal gaze. She paid no heed to the nagging sense of connection with him. Because for the first time of her co-existence with the humans, a foreign feeling bubbled inside her; admiration._

_The long forgotten curse she gave ages ago came back to her._

_“Do you want to shatter your sealed fate?”_

_The boy then recognized her at that instant._

_“Then, why don’t you kill me with that curse of yours, bearer of the Cursed Eyes?”_

_His voice was sharp, secured utmost certainty with his words._

_“I won’t and I will never fall in love with you.”_

_She had decided then and there, he’d be a treasure she would claim to herself._

_The prospect of shattering the boy’s conviction evoked excitement in her veins; spreading like wild fire in her body. After all, the more challenge there is, the more interesting things would ensue._

_She now had a goal; becoming the boy’s True Love._

_It was all for her entertainment._

**-x-x-x-**

“You can go first. I’ll skip classes today.”

Leorio’s jaw dropped (lower than last night), Killua’s eyes bulged almost escaping their sockets while Gon was the only one who was able to speak; scream rather; his _‘EHHHHHHH?!??!’_ resonating to the whole dorm ―which was responded by Hanzo with generous intensity, _‘Keep your voice down!’_ from the first floor. No need for words, their facial expressions had said it all; _‘This is not a drill. The world is coming to its end.’_

Once again, I regret the absence of a camera at that moment to take a snap shot of their ludicrous reactions for keep sake. Leorio’s comical show before was already a treasure to be preserved for a lifetime but this had thrice the worth than that. A good source of laugh during stressful times.

Their responses didn’t faze me, though. After all, they’ve known me for two, no, almost three years and we’ve been school mates ―Leorio’s my classmate while Gon and Killua are still in their third year of middle school ― since then. And they were witnesses of my stubbornness and determination when maintaining my perfect attendance in school. Not even a forty degree Celsius fever could stop me from attending my classes, and they concluded that even with an IV stand I would still go. That was the extent of my studies’ importance to my life. Having straight A’s in my class card might have its own benefits, but it was not all about the grades; I just have this belief that missing a day also meant missing the added knowledge I should’ve gained for that day.

Leorio ―with the most logical yet stupid reason he could think of― asked, “Are you dying Kurapika?!”

There seemed to be murmurs of agreement from his two companions hearing his query. I crossed my arms and leaned on the door frame, “I assure you. I am in perfect health.”

“Then why?”

That was Gon. That look of candid apprehension from him would always bring out the truth from me―his big and hypnotic hazel eyes were a big factor. There was no point in  
lying anyway. “Quality time with my girlfriend.”

The Chrollo radar within me detected the fascinated smirk she obscured behind the thick pages of the book she’s reading.

I covered my ears, same with Killua and Gon, anticipating Leorio’s _“HUHHHHHHHHHH?!!??!??!?!”_ that reverberated louder than Gon’s. This time it was Tonpa, ‘The Legendary Forever Repeater’ of our school, who responded from the neighbor room, _‘SHUT UP! I’M STILL SLEEPING HERE!’_ He’d be late for his class again, or today might be a further expansion of his collection on his ever growing absences.

Killua, Gon and I took off our hands from our ears at the same time; all of us unperturbed by Leorio’s tactless scream. He had always been the loudest one among us, nothing unusual.

“You’re really hoarding her in your room?!” He asked, this time with less uncouth intensity.

“You make it sound like she’s some illegal drugs.” I replied.

“Can we see her, Kurapika?” Gon asked, his eyes pleading like a puppy. Beside him, Killua was lax with his hands behind his neck; but his eyes expressed the same curiosity.

I responded by twisting my shoulder to lean on the door and created enough opening for them to peer inside. Killua and Gon moved a few steps pass the door, while Leorio stayed behind them since he had already seen her.

Chrollo was sitting on my bed. Her legs crossed while her back was flat on the wall. A thumb was pressed lightly at the base of the open book while the rest of her fingers were on its spine acting as support. Her other hand was resting on her lap. The finesse in her posture was noticeable in every part of her body. Acknowledging their presence, she closed the book in one swift movement and gave a quick wave to them which the three of them copied. Then she resumed reading right away.  
I motioned the door to be closed, so the three of them would return outside our room.

“She just dislikes being disturbed while reading.” I explained.

Killua was just staring at the door, “Wow. She really exists. I thought Leorio was just possessed or drunk last night when he told us.” Then he eyed at me,” So you’re just gonna screw her the whole day?”

I almost fell on my footing hearing his words. Thank God for the door knob I was holding into. He lacked restrictions with his language; something I’m still contemplating if he had adapted from his family or was heavily influenced by Leorio.

Gon’s _‘what does screw her mean’_ reached my ears despite its whispering volume only meant for Leorio; same with Chrollo’s repressed chuckle even when it was subdued behind the door.

“I’d be more than pleased if he did that.” She interrupted, voicing her opinion loud enough for them to hear.

I turned my head to the door, raising my voice as I replied, “Sorry to disappoint you then.”

Then there was a little tug on the hem of my shirt, I looked down just to see Gon and his trademark face of apprehension.

“But Kurapika, the teachers might know you’re just cutting classes.” He said.

Leorio ruffled his spiky tresses, “I’m just gonna cover up for him,” He reasoned, “I bet they’d give him a slack. He’s a teacher’s pet after all.”

“It’s just one day. I don’t think it would hurt for Kurapika.” Killua seconded.

They didn’t ask the deeper meaning for my sudden act, didn’t try to force it out on me. There was this unspoken understanding from them that whatever my reasons were, they just knew this was something of great importance for me; more significant than my hunger for knowledge that I’d even do this one day act of delinquency. They would just be there to support me.

Sometimes I even wonder if I deserve great friends like them.

I smiled at them, the most sincere smile I could give, “Thank you. Really, thank you. “I spoke and ushered them, “You better go to school now or you’d be late like Tonpa.”

They bid me their goodbyes and went their way to school. When they were out of sight, I came inside my room and crawled on my bed to join Chrollo. She flexed her knees to provide space for me; with her eyes centered on the book. I grabbed the one I was reading ―my History textbook, to at least be productive for today― a while ago before my friends knocked on the door. She curled her feet onto mine while I lied with my back on the mattress. No words were exchanged between us, just the usual routine of how we spent our times together. Silence occupied the room.

My mind was filled with important dates and events, repeating them in my thoughts so as to memorize them. She was the one who broke the silence.

“I love the witch in that story.”

I looked up from my textbook, and saw her pointing at the book hidden beneath my pillow. I pulled it up. A little worn out with some ragged pages that had forgotten its original hue and a whiff of wood, signifying the long years it had endured in the bookshelves back in our house. Yet the leather cover and its gold linings were still intact. An embossed _‘The Enigmatic Black Witch of the Woods’_ in its center was written in golden letters.

“Mom! Mom!” I remember the five-year-old me running frantically towards my mother, tugging on her dress as I reached her, “Read this to me! Pleaaaaase!”

I was so proud of myself at that time, finding this treasure from the most secluded corners of our basement. I couldn’t understand the reason behind her conflicted expression back then. She smiled at me as she took the book from my hand. And just like any other night, I would sit on her lap, eagerly waiting for her to begin her bedtime stories. It differed every day and every book she read me would become ‘my most favorite book of the day’ or sometimes it lasted until one week. I liked them all, but none of them would stand out among others.

But there was something more with this book the moment I saw it; the cover itself had awed me enough, but when I scanned inside and saw the black haired witch, I was captivated then and there.

I remember how impatient I was for every leaf to be read, I was flipping the pages even before my mom did.

“Is she still alone, Mom?” I asked her as she closed the closed the book after finishing the story. She just stared at me, dumb founded.

“I….think so.” She replied.

“Then…”

What came next must’ve been one of the biggest shock in my mother’s life. I’ll never forget the way her face looked at me with utter disbelief.

“Can I be with her? Just like Mom is with Dad?”

Because _she’s so beautiful,_ I would repeatedly tell my mother afterwards.

That was the last time she read that book for me. She locked it somewhere beyond my reach, afraid that I would read it again; that it would produce horrifying thoughts in me.

Because it was definitely weird. Witches were meant to be hated by children because they were always the bad guys in a fairy tale. They should even be scared of these villains.

Yet I broke the norm and ended up admiring one of them, because her appearance enchanted me and because at that time, I didn’t view her as the evil one.

When I was old enough to understand, she told me of my curse and repeatedly relayed the stories of how our ancestors suffered because of her. Some committed double suicide with their lovers, some just lived alone their whole lives. ‘She’s an evil witch ’was what my mother would tell me always.

Those thoughts were pummeled into my brain, forcing anger into my system, and I thought it was my responsibility to take it. After all, I am one of those unfortunate ones who bore the cursed eyes.

Yet the moment I saw her, that moment when the witch whom I only saw in the book appeared in front me. She was real after all. She existed in this world with me.

All the anger forced within my system crashed down. It had a weak foundation to begin with, foundation filled with self-deceit. Seeing her in person had reignited the flame I forced myself to extinguish. The feelings lying dormant within me crawled in my body, dominating everything; my sheer admiration for her.

And I put up another defense, a more potent self-deceit that would evolve as the truth. That this superficial physical attraction would remain in the surface and would never go deeper. That it would remain passive and would never penetrate my half-assed defenses.

And she crashed them down so easily.

I stared at her with incredulity, “Of course you do, you narcissist.”

She closed her book, an amused smirk was on her lips. She laid down to use my arm as her pillow. She took the book in my hand and gestured herself to read it.

“Love thyself, before loving thy neighbor.” Then she scooted closer, taking away the last inches of distance between us as she leaned into my shoulder. “I must say the artist had gotten the accuracy of my captivating appearance.”

I looked at the book I’m holding again, and picked up from the last page I’ve reviewed. “You’re loving yourself too much; nothing’s left for thy neighbor.”

My fingers twirled around her hair, straightening the knots in them. She would try catching my digits with her teeth when it is within her range, all the while reading her book.  
Sometimes she’d prey for my index finger, but mostly, it was my middle one who’d be taken captive between her teeth. She’d let go right away, only to seize another one.  
Only the sound of flipping pages, the wind that blew from the window, and our breathing can be heard. It was so peaceful, like we own the world. Hard to believe that just meters away from here, there were students hurrying to their classes. Some were still on their morning training. I heard Tonpa slamming his door, running hurriedly towards the stairs.

“Let’s go on a date.” Chrollo said, it was more like an order. I stopped combing her hair and she took that opportunity to bite my ring finger, which she released right away.

I didn’t answer right away. I was on the part of a very important topic. I had to thoroughly read and understand this.

“Now?” I asked, not looking at her.

She shifted, turning sideways while she gripped my hand and re-positioned it on her waist. I could totally feel her breast she purposely pressed against my side.

“After we’re finished reading.”

“Where?” I traced the curve of her waist, up and down.

“The usual place. Our favorite bookstore.”

I turned to my side, facing her, looking into her eyes. She looked up from her book, and dragged it down to see my whole face. The hand that held the textbook a while ago was now the one resting on the curve of her waist, the other one lay flat on the pillow.

Being with her this close that our breaths mingled with one another, the words just spilled on my lips. “I wanted to marry you when I was a kid, right after reading that book.” I confessed.

“Until now?”

I pulled her closer to my body, “And if I said yes?”

She smiled, “Then I’m afraid I have to refuse your proposal.”

I leaned my forehead to hers, “Hah. Shit.” I closed my eyes feeling her warmth,” I just― hate you.”

**-x-x-x-**

_And they began playing this dangerous game of tag. It was a one-sided game whose victor had been declared the moment it began. The boy avoided falling in love, while the witch pursued him._

_The more he ran away, the more she chased._

_The stronger he clung to his belief, the stronger her desire to shatter them into pieces._

_The witch played in his pace, while she waited with undeterred patience for the trophy destined to be in her possession._

_The moment he acquiesced to his defeat, would be the moment she’d depart from him; reaping away all of her from his life. As though she was a dream he’d never knew having once he woke up from his slumber._

_No needless attachments left._

_After all, it was just a little game she began as her pass time._

_And reciprocating this ‘True Love’ was not part of the plan._

_Little did she know it had been long rewritten even before she had it formulated._

_It began with a drop, that harmless drop of admiration in their first meeting. Prospering within her in measly progress she thought of its presence as meaningless._

_But no one told her it could be viral if left unaided that it was consuming her whole being. He was invading her heart, her soul._

_Lethal, even._

_Because it was mutating into ‘something.’_

_Yet she still ignored it and allowed this ‘something’ to remain unnamed._

_Their game shall continue._

_Even when the end of her road was just within her sight._

_***_

_“Why are you so keen on committing suicide?”_

_“I never said I wanted to commit suicide.”_

_“Then what?”_

_“Simple. I wanted to kiss you.”_

_“I told you. I won’t ever fall in love with you.”_

_“Then I get to kiss you more. But that means you don’t belong to me.”_

_“So what do you prefer?”_

_The gleam of the ruby earring almost blinded her as she stared at it through the sun’s rays._

_“Third option; I kiss you more and you’re still mine…”_

_She placed the jewel in his palm, closed his hand as she looked at his face,_

_“…even for just one day.”_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for not being able to publish this right away. Some really great shits just happened to me, and writing this had dragged along for far too long than I had expected.
> 
> Very very special thanks to:
> 
> sesshou-chan for cheering me up and pushing me to finish this! 
> 
> FivePastTwo (my beta reader) *CRIES* THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS AND REVISIONS! Thank you for giving time to beta my fic even when you are busy. A And also I was able to pick up myself from a great slump on writing because of you! Plus the boost in confidence because of your praises. ( / ~ \\)

The bell chimed as we opened the glass doors of the book store. Chrollo trudged behind me. Her face remained nondescript, but the incessant movement of her eyes searching for the titles of every book in the shelves that surround the store and the spark of anticipation on them gave away her excitement. The childishness within her was subtly surfacing yet again.

The establishment was quite smaller than the average book stores. Every book was within sight as soon as you enter with a second floor, containing the same density of books. After all, it was just a small business the owner decided to build out of her passion for books. But it was still a perfect place for a solitary hang out, given the ambiance of tranquility with its simple yet refreshing decors.

“Kurapika!” The owner greeted, surprise evident on her face. She sat behind the counter in the middle of the book store. There must be no part time workers for today so it was her who manned the counter. The book in her hand was placed down. She got up from her wooden chair and treaded her feet on my direction. She hugged me in a motherly way like how she usually did when I used to work part time here. I responded her touch with equal affection. “It’s been so long since you’ve come here!”

“I’ve been busy with school this year.” Probably the lamest excuse I could think of. But it was partly true, I had done lots of school related things and chores just to keep myself occupied. Because the more things I do, the lesser time I had for myself, the faster time would pass by my consciousness; and the more fatigued I was, fewer thoughts would haunt me.

She withdrew herself and just smiled at me, “Just don’t over work yourself there, my dear.” She cocked her head and looked behind my shoulders. Chrollo stood there, eagerly eyeing the non-fiction section of the shelves. The owner waved lightly and smiled at her. Chrollo bowed her head and smiled back. Then an all-knowing grin graced on her lips, before she whispered, “Your girlfriend perhaps?”

“Yes, she is.”

Her eyes made a quick rundown on Chrollo, eyeing the girl from head to foot, “Wow. First time I saw a girl prettier than you.”

A quiet snort escaped Chrollo’s lips which she deftly turned into a light cough. I wanted to at least kick the side of her shoes at that instant, but she had exploited that moment to excuse herself and made her way to the book shelves. The owner and I exchanged brief catching ups, mostly school related stuffs and the books we’re currently reading. A customer came in, must be a regular or someone she knew because she pardoned herself to entertain the new comer.

I strut my way towards Chrollo. A thick volume was cradled in her arm while her head was craned up, searching for more books on the upper parts of the shelf. She seemed like some normal geeky girl with a pretty face as she stood there. The image of her wearing glasses to complete the look was conjured on my mind then.

A part of the pale skin on her neck was peeking out behind the curtain of her black tresses. I could also see the dip of her collarbones disappearing into the collar of her sailor uniform. She turned her head to the side as she placed stray strands of her hair behind her ear. She was aware of my presence near her, aware of my stare and the body parts where my eyes were gawking at. Feigning innocence, her eyes remained focused on the books. Yet another implicit provocation of hers.

I moved behind her, pushing all of her hair to her left shoulder as my hand settled on her hip, pressing my lips on the junction of her neck. “Do you want coffee?” I whispered to her skin.

There was a half-smile on her lips which disappeared right away. She drew out a book from the shelf, tip toeing. I pulled away from her, my hand remained in its rightful place.

“As much as I want you.” She tucked the book on her arm, _The Interpretation of Dreams_ by Sigmund Freud. She turned her face half way, meeting mine. “But you― “She said, eyes on my lips then to my eyes. “―taste better.”

I rolled my eyes and turned my face away, a vain attempt to conceal the blush forming on my cheeks. I gave a lazy wave as I trotted towards the coffee maker placed beside the counter. The owner was still conversing with the customer from earlier. I got two cups from the counter and placed the bill on top since I didn’t want to disturb her. She was too trusting of her customers, anyone could easily get free coffee despite her presence in the shop. Not like I would take advantage of that.

No sugar, no creamer for Chrollo; just like the usual. And two packs of creamer for me, no sugar.

I came back to her, with two cups of freshly made coffee secured in my hands. I saw her on the single couch, comfortably sitting. Her elongated legs were crossed with elegance; her elbow reposed on the inside arm of the couch, resting her chin on the back of her hand. Her eyes were casted down on the book lying on her lap, her long lashes fluttering occasionally as she continued reading.

She resembled a queen; a tyrannical queen suffering from ennui, who could start a war that moment just to appease her boredom. The simple couch transforming into her majestic throne and the whole building as her castle with just her presence.

Memories of her from the past; sitting in the same couch, in the same stance. Lost in her own world as she worked on my homework she had stolen from me. And when she’s had enough working on it, she’d spare a glance on me, tilting her head as she asked ―no, commanded, _‘Wanna kiss me?’_ And when I’d ignore her purposely, she would just lean back, mouthing, _‘Coward.’_

I laid the cups on the table, she still refused to concede my presence.

“Chrollo.” I called.

She turned her head a bit, just enough to face me.

“I will kiss you.”

She raised an eyebrow, baffled with my words. Before she could even speak or question the absurdity of my words, my lips were already on hers. My hand held the back of the couch for support, while the other one was on her neck, tipping up her head to deepen the kiss. A tang of peppermint on her mouth, the lingering taste of my tooth paste. I didn’t know if we had an audience. I heard another customer coming into the store, and the owner’s voice welcoming him or her. I didn’t care.

Separating my mouth from hers, she eyed me with disinterest, shrugging her shoulder as she returned her attention on the book.

“That was unnecessary in my opinion.” She said.

I walked and sat to the couch perpendicular to hers, having the same design and color to hers; black. I rummaged through my bag to get the textbooks I needed for reviewing and placed the bag on the floor. I crossed my legs, sinking into the soft comfort of the couch with a book on my hands.

“I’m just being courteous.” I countered.

I saw her taking her coffee from the table, with her eyes still on her book. 

“The Kurapika this morning didn’t seem to agree with the concept of ‘courteousness’ though.” She astutely reciprocated my defense, sipping from her coffee with an amused yet condescending grin on her lips. I tensed, and felt another blush in my cheeks which I concealed behind my textbook. She continued, “Surprises are better.”

“Except you expected ―no, precipitated the deed.” I gave her a side glance, “Manipulating seductress.”

She placed the cup back on the table, “I find no offense exploiting one’s _exceedingly_ pleasing appearance to his or her convenience.”

“And a proud narcissist to boot.”

An enthralled chortle was her response. 

“By the way,” She began, changing the topic. I dreaded the next words that would come out from her mouth; the way her eyes rolled towards me, with a glint of mischief. “When was the last time you came here?”

She knew. She was only fishing out an answer from me, masking her deviousness with innocent curiosity.

A pause. I considered my response before I pinned her with my stare. I spoke with nonchalance, “Last month, I think.”

Half true, half false.

Last month, I was standing in front of this book store. It was one of those days where I’d use the excuse of eating my dinner on the fast food beside it, just to be able to pass by the book store.

Yet I’d always end up just standing by the door, giving a quick scan inside, not long enough for someone to notice my presence but enough to have flashes of memories in my mind. I would never dare to even step one foot inside. Because every corner of that place had remnants of her, of _us._

I do not need another memento. My room was more than enough torture to last my every day.

Silence. She just stared at me, gauging me. Her gaze exposed the message hidden behind her probing eyes, something along the words of _‘the contents of your conversation with the owner didn’t seem to cover just one month worth of catching ups.’_ She was waiting for the truth to come from my lips, but when it didn’t happen, she just shrugged and said, “I see.”

Which was the same as, _‘I’ll just go with your lie if you insist.’_

I didn’t even try to support my defense knowing she would simply see through all my lies.

The next hours dragged with no words exchanged between us. The owner would ask us if we needed something every now and then, her maternal instincts getting the best of her, which I politely replied with, _‘Everything’s fine.’_

There was this strange air of intimacy, that comforting silence whenever we would just be sitting together, reading books, loosing ourselves in our own worlds encompassed within these pages. Yet hyperaware of each other’s presence and sensitive even with the littlest movements.

Another sip of caffeine from my half-filled cup, leaning back to the couch to analyze further what I’m studying. I heard the chime of the bell, a new customer came in again. A girl with long black hair. A little taller than Chrollo, or maybe as tall as her. I couldn’t tell, she wore heels. She was not wearing a uniform, but she looked too young to be a career woman. A college student perhaps. My eyes followed her movements, just my pupils rolling to her direction. Her heels clicked on the floor as she trudged from the door going to the counter. She mentioned something about accounting text book to the owner, asking if it was available here which the owner nodded in response, pointing the other side of the store.

It was out of habit. A habit I developed throughout the year. I was not even aware of it until Killua pointed it out to me. _‘Do you have a thing for girls with long black hair? You keep on staring at them like you wanna bang them or take them home, you know?’_ he told me one day.

As though an imaginary switch would be activated in my mind, images of Chrollo would conjure in my head. Looking into my memories of her, remembering each and every little detail of her, _‘Chrollo had longer hair’, ‘Chrollo’s black is darker’, ‘Chrollo’s hair is more beautiful.’_

And my fingers would then be drawn into my ears, clutching into my earring, triggering another switch. A momentary trip to memory lane, reliving that night as I heard her voice once again.

_‘How can you come back?’_

_‘The earring. It would lead me back to you.’_

_‘How? But you’re―’_

_‘My last fragments. It’s here.’_

I could only wait, and dread for that day to come.

I felt an added weight on my lap, waking me up in my reverie, just noticing that the text book and coffee in my hands were gone. At the same moment when my chin was captured by slim fingers turning my head to the left. Chrollo bore holes into my eyes, clearly not pleased about something, the barest hint of pout forming into her lips. I could easily discern what that ‘something’ would be. She encircled my arms into her midriff, in such a possessive way that I might’ve been squeezing her slender waist a bit tighter than the usual. 

She crossed her legs, same with her hands on her chest. Her calf sank into the arm of the couch. Her voice acute with well-concealed displeasure, she tilted her head, “So,” she began. A quick glance on the girl who was now searching through the shelves of the book she needed. I saw the owner and her teasing smile in my peripheral vision, watching us from the counter. Chrollo’s eyes were back onto mine, same with me. “You’re into flat-chested girls, huh?”

This time, a pout was evident on her lips. “That you have even neglected the presence of such _gorgeous_ looking girlfriend you have in company.” She continued, flexing her neck muscles to look down, as she uncrossed her arms, “Aren’t big breasts the desire of the bigger portion of male populace?”

Her hands gestured to grope her breasts, adrenaline rushed into my system, grabbing her wrists even before she had succeeded implementing her plan.

A sigh of exasperation left my lips, affixing my gaze at her, “We’re in public for Christ’s sak―”

“Then don’t stare at the other girls with such _yearning._ ” She sounded calm, her voice seeping with the slumbering venom beneath it.

“It’s not like t―”

She gathered my face within her hands, “Even when you see me in them.” Guiding my head down, our foreheads lightly pressed together. She seized me with her abysmal eyes. For a moment I thought it was just us existing in this world. “Because I―” Her fingers trailed behind my ear, strands of hair brought along with it, crawling down to my earlobe, “―am _here._ ” Her touch persisted on the jewel dangling at the end.

 _Still here._ I thought, closing my eyes as I felt her gentle tug on the scarlet diamond.

”And _you―_ ” She cupped my face once again, my eyes opening at the same time, “―are mine.”

My hands returned on her waist, squeezing her into me; taking away the remaining distance between us. I could feel her breath blending into mine, feel her mouth lightly brushed my lower lip when she spoke. The meager distance between our lips suddenly felt tortuous, I ached to ravish hers, to bring her to heel and at the brink of insanity. I feel the primal urge to showcase my possession of her.

“ _Uwaaaah._ He’s really screwing her around.”

Instincts getting the better of me, my head whipped towards the sound of that voice. I almost crashed my head into Chrollo’s if not for her adept dodging on time. Killua stood there, maintaining his cool and calm demeanor despite the sight in front of him, lollipop in his mouth. Chrollo had also turned her attention to Killua not even trying to conceal the big smile on her face, given the knowledge that our previous intimate act had an audience. I shook my head and sighed, burying half of my face on my palm, as I hid the creeping blush on my cheeks, and maybe even my neck.

“And they are in public.” Leorio added, his eye brow raised staring at us with disbelief. Same time as his hand uncovered the eyes of the ever-saintly Gon, the other one held the store’s plastic bag with a book peeking from it. I saw Gon’s head tossing around his two companions, and hearing him query with the usual pristine innocence in his expression, _‘Why did you cover my eyes, Leorio? ’_ which Leorio responded with a whisper, _‘You’re still too young for it.’_

“So much for quality time.” Killua continued, both hands on his pockets.

“I didn’t know you had a wolf in you, Kurapika.” Leorio said. He stepped closer to our couch, while an argument between Killua and Gon occurred in the background, the latter still unresolved with the preceding unjust treatment he got because _‘we’re just the same age’_ as Gon insisted, _‘but I got an adult’s mind’_ was Killua’s defense. Leorio, ignoring their usual bickering, rested a hand on my shoulder. “Well, you’re still a man after all.”

Chrollo gestured Leorio to lean closer to her, whispering softly yet deliberately with a volume audible enough for me to hear, “He believes it boosts his _performance_ with an audience. He’s got a bit of a wild side in him after all.”

The squabble behind seemed to have escalated a bit, enumerating the childish acts of one another like, _‘But you still eat chocolate’_ or _‘I’m still taller than you’_ and the list went on.

“While it is a normal occurrence for males―” I interrupted, capturing both of their attention,”―in pubescent years to have rampaging hormones thus the thirst for sexual activities. I believe I have enough tact not to resort to such barbaric act so as not to befoul my dignity.” My hands were now curled around the top part of her back while the other was on the back of her knee. I felt the concise twitch in her muscle. “But if you so desire it, I could humor your _wild_ request.” I faced her, resolute with my words, seeing her lips curving upwards, “I could take you on wherever you want, be it the book shelves or the doo―”

“Shut up, Kurapika!” Leorio interjected, halting my movements. He was clearly pouting. “Stop acting like you’ve climbed the stairs to adulthood just because you got yourself a girlfriend!” he then cursed under his breath, “Damn. I’m so jealous.”

“You started it.” I defended staring at him as I shrugged my shoulder. Chrollo rested her head on my shoulder then, looking up to Leorio. There was this annoying grin on her face that she couldn’t seem to erase.

I heard the footsteps of Gon and Killua as they headed towards our couch. Seems like it was the owner who had stopped their childish squabble with her spine-chilling glare ―which I had experienced myself before― when their voices were starting to turn into shouts.

“Leorio, I thought you still have to buy your anatomy text book?” Gon asked, standing beside Leorio as he looked up to the taller male. Killua was on the other side of Leorio, his hands were back to his pockets.

“Nah, this is enough for now.” Leorio replied, raising the plastic bag in his hand. He tapped the crown of the younger teen beside him, “And we should be going back to the dorm now.”

“EHHH?!” Gon whined, “But we haven’t introduced ourselves properly to Chrollo-san yet.”

“C’mon Gon, let’s not disturb their” Killua said as he made quotation marks with his hand, ” _quality_ time.”

Killua and Gon bid their good byes walking to the exit, I nodded and waved goodbye with Chrollo. Their backs were now facing us. Leorio was about to copy them but instead he eyed her, his stare persisted for a few seconds before he squinted. He was now rubbing his chin, scrutinizing her. 

Chrollo returned his gaze, perplexed with his longer-than-comfortable staring at her, “Yes?” she inquired.

“I’ve been wanting to ask this since I first saw you,” Leorio cocked his head, “But Chrollo-san,”

“Hmm?” she replied.

“Have we met before?”

I flinched. Chrollo did mention something about unique instances where fragments of her existence may retain to a person’s mind whom she had erased memories of her. Though it would just be some bleary recognition, dismissed as _déjà vu_ or someone who had appeared in their dreams. .And she explained, it happened mostly to people she had unintentionally carved herself deeper into their thoughts.

“No.” she replied abruptly.

Leorio shrugged, timidly scratching the back of his neck, “Must be my imagination then.”

“Must be.”

“But I really felt like this is not the first time I’ve seen you, Chrollo-san.” Gon interrupted, coming from behind Leorio.

“I thought it was just me.” Killua seconded, trailing after Gon.

Chrollo half-turned her head, enough for me to see her face. “Kurapika,” she called me, “Seems like your best friends are flirting with me.”

She had dodged the topic so smoothly, and I knew I had to play along with her. The momentary exchange in our gazes were enough to convey that message.

Protests came from them but I had cut them off before they could even produce complete sentences. 

“Sorry. Not gonna share her,” I faced them, snaking my arms around her waist with my head tucked on her neck, “Not even with you guys.”

“Keh! Hate to break this to you, but I’m not interested with somebody else’s girl.” Leorio retorted, “C’mon guys. Let’s just go home.” He added in a heartbeat, declining the chance for Killua and Gon to voice out their defense. Leorio held their shoulders, ushering them on the exit of the book store despite their complaints. The two of them settled on short pleasantries for the second time.

Leorio gave us another look, “And Kurapika,” he called, pointing me, “You look less shitty today.”

I just smiled with the subtle act of concern he had veiled with his insult, “And you look shittier every day.”

“Bastard. Whatever, just be sure to attend classes tomorrow, okay?”

I responded with a tight smile and a sluggish wave. The question was left hanging on the air with no concrete answer. 

“Killua. Gon. Leorio.”

Chrollo’s voice ceased their movements. They spun on their heels completely facing us, three pairs of questioning stares boring from them to her.

“I truly enjoyed my time with you.”

They blinked. Twice. Thrice.

Gon was the first one to recover. He was grinning from ear to ear, with abundance of enthusiasm in his voice as he spoke, “Then you should hang out more with us, Chrollo-san.”

“Yeah,” Killua seconded,” We’ll steal you away from your possessive boyfriend.” 

“Interesting. I’ll look forward to that.” Chrollo surprisingly gave my back a light fleeting hug, “And one more thing…” All of them gazed back at her, confused but intent on hearing her next words, “Take care of this pretty guy for me.”

“Are you going somewhere, Chrollo-san?” Gon asked.

She rolled her eyes onto me, a little too obvious and too long to be just a stolen glance. She then brought back her attention to Gon, giving none of her emotions away with the casual curve in her lips, “Well,” She shifted, turning her back on me, “I won’t be with him all the time.”

This time they bid their good byes for real. And when they finally left the store, I had her caged within my arms, tightening my grip on her waist. I leaned my forehead on her shoulder and whispered, “You do know I’m hating you more, right?”

She held my arms, “I do.”

**x-x-x**

_It was a secret they never shared yet a secret they both knew._

_A truth that lingered around them. The reality that haunted them every day that they refuse to acknowledge; that lethal emotion they had accidentally planted and nurtured in each other’s system._

_Because he was contented; just being with her without losing her._

_But she was greedy; who kept another secret so as not to crush the complacency she carefully crafted for him to believe._

_She’d relish this bogus complacency; stalling their little game as long as time allowed her._

_“You’re dying, right?”_

_Yet she should’ve known better than deeming his silence as the equivalent of his ignorance._

_“I am.”_

_Indeed, she was a creature of near omnipotence, almost God-like. Yet she was not. She had her flaws._

_Her life of infinity back then was robbed away from her, together with her woods, but death never fazed her. She lived her life of freedom awaiting for her end._

_Until he came into her life unannounced, disrupting its normal flow._

_“When?”_

_“Soon.”_

_“How soon?”_

_Such untimely encounter at the very last chapter of her life, as cruel as fate could be. But just then was she given a meaning for living, her emptiness filled by him._

_All centuries she had lived was a long journey just to meet him, to be with him. Those hundreds of years were for naught compared to the fleeting moments they shared._

_“Tonight. So…”_

_But the time had come. Escape was no more within her sight._

_“…will you kill me with your True Love’s kiss?”_

_Their game shall now end._

_The curse shall be vanquished for eternity._

**x-x-x**

“Good morning, _boyfriend._ ”

My eyes flung open with the sound of her voice, seeing her face dimly illuminated by the night lamp. She was peering down on me as she sat on my abdomen, legs on both side. She was so light, I didn’t notice the additional weight on my gut until I saw her. I looked at my digital clock perched on the night stand, 11:00pm. I must’ve missed the ringing of my alarm, or she might’ve turned it off for me. To keep me lulled as she executed whatever devious plan she had in store. I brought my eyes back to hers as she held the sides of my abdomen. Despite the lack of brightness in the room I could see the devious glint on her eyes concealed behind her insipid façade.

“You got two options.” She began.

I tried to rub the sleep off my eyes but something seemed to restrain my hands. I was not able to check whatever it was though, with her index finger raised and her fingers pressed deeper on my abdomen, capturing my attention once again. I presumed it was an indication that she’s enumerating something.

Her voice remained casual, “Do this voluntarily; we do this without hand cuffs.”

That was when I felt the cold metal surrounding my wrists. I looked at my hands resting on my abdomen. The cuffs were really there, and the glinting metal assured me they were authentic.

My eyes returned to her and there were two fingers raised now, “Refuse me; the hand cuffs remain.”

I moved my upper body in a futile attempt to sit. The restraints were hindering my movements, not to mention that my body was still recovering from its groggy state. I just raised my head and gave a questioning eyebrow at her which was the same as, _‘Your point?’_

Though the moment I woke up, that one message was clearly conveyed to me. It was all too easy to perceive the means of her actions, her face of lust-filled provocation was more than enough to prove it.

“Make love to me.”

Pleased with her verbal confirmation, I smiled catching the tinge of yearning; bordering desperation; masked by the dominance in her voice.

I would’ve ―no, should have― initiated it; yet she had always been ahead of me, surprising me with her own creative ways of obtaining what she wanted, and hand cuffs surely wouldn’t top the list.

For the third time I tried getting up again using my elbows and my bottom to support me. Regaining my strength, it was successful this time. When I reached her eye level, I hooked my cuffed hands on her neck, dangling them there. Anticipation was written all over her face. She looked so serious, her tyranny seeping through her eager stare.

“Is that your way to show courteousness?” I asked, the smile was just getting wider.

She was so close, I could strongly smell my shampoo from her hair. I leaned a bit further to her, breathing in my scent blending perfectly with her distinct sweet fragrance. A surge of possessiveness invaded my system overwhelmed by the fact that she used something that belonged to me. How I branded myself on her sharing the same scent, indicating that she’s mine.

“I am kind enough to give you options.” She replied, adjusting her legs so as to go nearer my body. She looked down on my lips, pressing a delicate finger on the bottom part. 

“Your answer?”

Her hair was soft beneath my touch and I wanted to crumple her hair and kiss them.

“That question is unnecessary in my opinion.”

A satisfied smile was on her lips as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I dragged her face towards mine but by passed her lips to reach for her ear, “And so do these hand cuffs.”

My teeth grazed the sensitive flesh of her ear, making sure she felt my breath on her heated skin. I made my way down her earlobe nipping and licking, earning a hushed sigh from her

“Release me, Chrollo.” I pressed my lips at the back of her ear. There was the slightest of shudder from her before she leaned towards me.

The last thing I saw was her playful yet defiant eyes, claiming her dominance over me.

And then we were kissing. Lips parted, languidly yet firmly sliding against each other. She was taking her damn time with this. As she slid her dexterous hands from my hair, caressing my ears and my neck before resting them against my shoulders, slowly undoing my buttons and sliding the fabric away from my skin; exposing my flesh to the evening breeze.

And before I knew it, she was pushing me backwards. Not even repressing her strength, she forced my back to the headboard. A soft _thump_ was heard, I didn’t feel pain from the impact or I might just be too occupied with our moving mouths. The kiss got eager, needier; and she was still taking full control of my movements.

“Let me touch you.” I rasped out in between our kisses, and felt her grin.

She captured the entirety of my mouth again while her hand escaped my neck. I heard sounds of a restless hand tapping something on the night stand. My eyes opened half way, witnessing her hand blindly finding the key. It was inches away from her, not that I would tell her. I should’ve known it was there. But I didn’t even bother to regret not trusting my instincts when she had licked my lips. Then it was our tongues answering each other’s need; licking and sucking with equal ardor; her fingers grabbing a handful strands of my hair; twisting them in between her digits. Her groan was muffled inside my mouth, when I heard a piece of metal sliding on the wood. Must be her, failing to retrieve the key. A series of tapping followed, with more incessant movement that she had knocked something on the floor, my bottle of water I think. It stopped after a while. She detained my bottom lip in between her teeth, dragging it back with her in a leisurely pace; before she had completely pulled away from my mouth.

Still in a haze, I opened my eyes only to be greeted by her penetrating black orbs. Her face flushed, which I knew mirrored mine. Our hot breaths were still labored, gasping for oxygen. She gripped my forearms; unhooking them from her neck. My fingers trailed a path on her cheeks, going down to her jawline; with her leaning into my touch. She kissed my palm, nipping a bit of its flesh before pulling away. She lowered my hands to my lap, and showed me the key. 

She twisted the piece of metal in the hole of the cuffs. Her long flowing hair tickled my fingers as she peered down.

“Where did you get these cuffs?” I asked. Her scent was addictive, I couldn’t help but bury my nose in the crown of her head.

I heard a click; but I didn’t move my hand despite being aware of my freedom.

“I saw them lying beneath the clothes in the drawer of one of your dorm mates.” She was still working on the cuffs, taking it off from me,” And seeing the scratches in it, I must say, it’s been used more than necessary.” She faced me, “I wonder what kind of _activities_ a high school boy does that necessitates cuffs.”

“You stole it.” It was a statement.

“I borrowed it without the owner’s permission.”

I was torn between following the proper conduct of returning a lost item to its proper owner, or doing him a favor by saving his dignity and not returning it.

My wrists were finally released from the metal restraints. I rubbed them to give it back some feeling, “Did you lock the door?” I asked.

After she finished taking off the cuffs from me, she threw it somewhere in the room. We just heard the clanking of metal on the floor, wherever it landed. It was difficult to know with the dim lighting.

Her attention was still on the direction wherever she threw the cuffs, “Nope.”

An exasperated sigh escaped my lips. I shifted her leg, so I could release myself from beneath her. But she held me in place, strengthening the grip of her legs on mine. Her hands were dangled loosely on my neck.

“It was a joke.”

I rolled my eyes; cupping her face with my hands. I brushed away strands of her hair behind her ear, my stare following my fingers trailing down to her neck. She tilted her head as I clasped my digits on her nape.

I slammed my lips onto hers; our movements coordinated; ravishing one another like hungry wolves. I took off the ribbon of her sailor uniform in one swift movement, placing it on the bed. Then my hands worked on its buttons. Buttons were hard to deal with when you’re not looking, more so when kissing with so much hunger all I could think of was claim her lips. My flimsy fingers couldn’t even properly clutch onto one button as they kept slipping from it.

A delighted shiver came from her as my mouth caressed her neck, stubbornly sucking and lightly biting, until I branded more of myself on her. Her fingers digging on my hair, as she produced tiny hums from her throat. I wanted to hear more of her sounds so I peppered her exposed flesh with light kisses stopping at the swell of her breasts. My hands crawled on her shoulders, removing her top with ease. I threw the cloth to the floor not minding where it would land.  
I gripped her waist spreading my fingers on the small of her back; feasting my eyes on her pallid skin ―now marred by little patches of bruises― in full contrast of her clothes and her hair. Her breasts were almost spilling out from her black lacy bra.

Seeing this much of her skin was not a surprise to me anymore. There were times in the past where she had walked around my room with only a piece of skimpy toweling wrapped around her body, which only covered from half of her breast ―barely kept inside the scanty clothing― to just meager inches beneath her bottom; or she would just be wearing her undergarments, and at times, her front would be covered with just a towel loosely placed around her neck ―which I’d always dread to fall for every movement she did. Then she would even sit beside me in my bed; leaning and rubbing her bare flesh onto mine. It was her harmless seduction, just a little prank for the only male she met who wouldn’t yield to her advances.

But tonight was different.

I kissed her shoulder, its pristine state magnetized my lips just so I could taint it; leave more of my marks on her. One hard bite and she jolted; hissing with delectable ache. The sway of her body urging me to do more; moving with me as my lips went down and down; from her collarbone until I reach her navel; darting my tongue to taste her. More kisses, more nipping and sucking. Then my teeth found its way on the line of cloth in between her breast, stopping myself from ripping it then and there.

She was taking off my clothes which I failed to realize how or when she began. Must be her experienced way of dealing with buttons, or she may have just ripped it for all I know. She knelt on the sheets, releasing my teeth from her bra. She peeled off my shirt completely, placing her knee dangerously near my groin.

She licked the bottom of her lips before biting it, repressing the hunger in her stare. She leaned down, caressing her lips into my abs.

“You know I’ve always fancied the thought of experiencing these beneath my hands.” She purred into my naked skin, spreading her fingers.

I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of her soft lips on stomach, “Haven’t you had enough of them before? Sneaking your hand on my abdomen _every_ night while I sleep?”

“I’m afraid not.” Said she, staring up at me, “And I would’ve given you more should you have given your verbal approval back then instead of _faking_ your slumber.”

“I wouldn’t want to bore you with my easy submission. I knew you preferred a challenge.”

“And now?”

She trailed wet kisses and bites to my abdomen, her black orbs giving me with a glimpse of her want.

“I don’t have the luxury to worry about trivial things.”

She smiled and resumed the trail of kisses, unorganized, wondering to my chest going up to my shoulders and neck; her hands caressing where her sweet mouth had been. Each and every contact tugged at my growing arousal.

She craned up my face, claiming my lips to hers ―unhurried. My hand found its way on the clasp of her bra, fumbling on the hook; clicking my tongue in between our kisses at the numerous failed attempts to unlatch it. A soft snort turned to giggle came from her before she did it herself; then took off the last piece of cloth on her top, not even breaking away from my lips.

My hands cupped her soft mounds, my palm taking its time memorizing the silky texture and their weight. My fingers found the beady center of it. I rubbed them with my thumb, longing for my tongue to replace it. Chrollo jerked my hands away, guiding them away her breasts. 

She slumped back to my thighs. Then she lowered my hands, anchoring them on her hips. I swallowed thickly now that her naked front was in full view. It’s a wonder how she’s able to compress those big mounds of flesh beneath her undergarment. 

It was Chrollo’s turn to roll her eyes, heaving a sigh of annoyance. The hesitance in my face must’ve been too evident.

“Surely you are not just going to gawk at them, are you?” she said with a raised eyebrow, snaking her hands on my neck.

Our bare flesh were against each other, emanating heat, as I pushed her closer to me not letting the cold seep into our nakedness.

I trapped her nipple between my teeth, biting ever so slightly. I smiled hearing her whimper, and the look in her face urged me to do more. I began with gradual lapping which turned into stubborn sucking. The sound of saliva slurping, tugging against her skin synchronized with her moans, not letting go of my hair to push my head further into her. My left hand cupped her other breast, melting its softness beneath my palm.

“I thought―” She commented between her pants, “you’re― a beginner.”

I tried answering, but I was too indulged to the after taste of her skin that I refused to leave it; not when she was shivering in pleasure beneath my mouth.

Then she was putting her fingers on her mouth, sucking them so eagerly. Only in rare moments like this were the times I’d be able to see her vulnerable face; her cheeks flushing so much, her now parted lips gasping for air, her half lidded eyes drowning with desire. I pulled away her fingers to have a better view of her face and a lustful mewl came out from her. 

My hand found its way beneath her skirt, bunching it up while I rubbed small circles on her thigh. I traced the line of her undergarment and clawed down, only to go north once again.

“Touch it.” she whispered.

I stopped the movements of my fingers; unlatching my lips, same with my other hand, on her nipples. My eyes didn’t leave hers, giving a light peck from there travelling upwards which opposed the other hand going down in between her thighs. Just a tap on her; enough to feel the slight dampness through the thin cloth. The heat of her wanting welcomed me to press more unto it. She inhaled sharply, intensifying her grip on my neck when I pressed further; putting more force on her nub. 

She leaned her head on my shoulder, “More, Kurapika. More― pressure.”

And I did.

She was writhing beneath my touch, grinding her hips to my lap; responding every hard strokes with breathy sighs and insistent sucking on my neck. The harder I rubbed circles on her, the harder she sucked. Then I would give kisses on the crown of her head.

The wetness in her was becoming more pronounced, her juices seeping through the fabric of her undergarment moistening my fingers.

“Inside.” She breathed.

Her eyes ―blazing, burned me with its compassion― never left me as she raised her bottom, unfastening my fingers on her and started taking off her matching black lacy panty; the cloth slipping down her leg. She twirled it on her pointer finger before smoothly throwing it somewhere. She straddled my lap once again, and I groaned when she slid her palm on the already hardening part of my pants. She pressed firmly, gripping it unrestrained force. A smile tugged on her lips, “Pleased to know it is mutual.”

She then seized my hand, guiding me on her wet core. She moved a little closer, smearing a bit of her juices on me. There was something arousing about her lack of undergarments beneath her skirt. I rolled her clit with my thumb eliciting a deep moan from her. I continued, while she clenched my shoulders as she leaned on my ear and whispered breathlessly, “Put your fingers inside me.”

But I ignored her request as I went with teasing the bundle of nerves there. I didn’t miss that silent groan of frustration from her. I leaned my head on the junction of her neck, pressing her harder into my fingers as I gave more kisses on her flesh. Her grip on my neck was getting tighter as I teased her more, rolling and tapping my digits on her nub in gradual movements. The labored puffs of air from her tickling my ear, feeling the warmth of her breath. The throbbing of my length intensified with her shuddering murmurs of soft cusses, none of them escaped my ears.

Then I inserted my middle finger and _God. She’s so wet._

“Further.” Said she, running her tongue at the back of my ear, “Go further.” Her voice was demanding, her tone a little lower now then gave me a playful nip.

I grabbed her neck and kissed, a bit too harsh that there was a hint of metallic taste as our lips connected. I pushed further and felt her hips meeting my finger. I continued thrusting in and out her, rocking her hips to mine; our lips colliding violently, tongue lapping, teeth grinding, her grip on my hair getting tighter; more desperate to feel more. The needier, the more passionate our kiss had gotten, the faster I shoved inside her, this time slipping another finger.

She pulled away just to resume another vehement kisses, tongue first. Her fingers were grazing on my neck while whispering in her husky voice, urging me to plunge deeper, faster and _‘Yes― There.’_ when I curled my fingers on her hitting the right spot. Her hand continued traveling down to my chest, to my abdomen; a little pinch on my hipbone and then she was stroking me. Gentle, gradual strokes; teasing me through the fabric of my pants. I inhaled sharply, my hand limping on her side, gripping the sheets when her pace increased. My movements slowed, overwhelmed by her adept hand, light-headedness getting the better of me. I pulled away from the kiss together with my fingers. She stopped at the same time.

I slumped half of my back on the head board with my head going along with it, the other half leaning on the pillows. We were a mess; swollen lips, sweat trickling our body, strands of hair sticking to our moistened skin, strenuous heaving of our chests and shoulders. I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of our heavy breathing reverberating in the whole room. Then there was warmth wrapped around my wrist. I opened my eyes again and saw her holding my hand coated with her juices.

She drew out her tongue and _God,_ the way she licked them ―so sensual, drowning them with carnal desires. She didn’t waste any drop of it, even inserting the whole finger in her mouth, popping it out when she’s had enough. Chrollo’s ravenous stare was on me the whole time she tasted herself, a little warm up before she ravish the main course laid in front of her. She kissed every digit when she finished her ‘meal.’

She disregarded my hand to reach out, grabbing onto my neck and tipped down my head. Just a slow, lazy kiss followed, massaging each other’s lips with minimal hunger. She then forced my lips open and penetrated inside with her tongue as soon as the gap allowed her. _Delicious,_ I thought. I savored the taste of her assaulting my mouth, owning every drop of her ―sucking and licking with persistence― until none of her was left.

She was the one who broke our attached mouths. Her eyes wandered on my face, looking up and down, until it settled on the top.

She rested her fingers under my eyes, lightly pressing its softness. She just stared, unblinking eyes drinking in the sight of me. Veneration kindled beneath those dark orbs, twinkling with what I could only compare to an awe of a discovery seen for the first time.

“It’s like staring at the sky.” She began. “Plain. Calming. Simply _beautiful._ ” I raised an eyebrow at her, perplexed by her sudden statement, snaking my hands on her waist. “So this is the color of your eyes barren of the curse.”

My eyes widened.  
_Shit._

_My contact lens._

Panic flared inside me. _I forgot. I really forgot._ My head whipped to my night stand at that instant, moving my eyes around every corner possible in its limited space. _Not there._ My body shifted, bending my torso a little bit, just enough to reach for the drawer, all hands untangled at the movement. I opened the wooden box, still not there. I heaved a frustrated sigh, leaning on the headboard, furiously rubbing my hands on my face. I tried recalling the scenes before I fell asleep, but none of them were helpful. My memories dictated that I had left it on the night stand. Yet it was not there.

A realization then hit me. I uncovered my face, “You hid them.” A modest tilt of her head, a deceitful smile of innocence, and I knew my hypothesis was right. “My―” She blinked, furthering her act of fraud ignorance. It was her bait into getting a proper answer from me. I sighed, “My contact lens. Where did you hide them?”

“Oh. That.” She answered, as though the awareness had just dawned to her. “I disposed of them.”

“Where?” I asked; urgent, desperate. ”Tell me.”

“Why? I verified them as non-prescriptive lenses. So I presume, it is unneeded. ”

Because it had to be red, only red, the color she loved the most, the only color that would elicit that glimmer of unyielding awe in her eyes whenever she would gaze at me. It was my connection to her, reminder of her existence in my life.

Because it was a gift from her I had cherished.

“Just― tell me. _Please._ ”

And it had to be the same when she’d come back. Even when I had to resort to artificial means just to maintain the original color of my eyes, even when the shame would eat me.  
“Why?” she softly repeated, her eyes bored into mine.

Because the curse is gone, forever gone.

Crimson was turned to blue. Blood transformed into the peaceful ocean.

Then I was back to _that_ night.

The first time our lips met, the first time I allowed myself to give in to my pent-up desires. Because it was her death wish. I still remember the saccharine taste of her lips, the softness it felt against mine. The way she pushed her body into mine, her legs caging my thighs. Her long soft hair tickling my skin as it fell down on me, the sweet scent it had.

And the lifeless body I gathered in my arms afterwards; no pulse, no breathing. The semblance of her unmoving form was so serene ―relaxed, satisfied― so deceiving, I almost thought she was just in a deep slumber. A curse-induced comatose from fairy tales where only a true love’s kiss shall wake her up. What laughable irony it was that the cure was turned into the poison that ended her.

The same body now resting six feet under the ground, carried, and buried by my own hands.

Then I remembered; the cruel reality of this day, why it had existed, why I waited painstakingly all this year. It was the last chance, the last day; no more reassurances of her coming back because tonight would be our real goodbyes.

And because she had a wish she could only fulfill on this day where _I could kiss you more and you’re still mine._

“ _Shhhhh._ ”

Her soothing voice saved me from the depths of my thoughts, they were dark and ugly and I could not escape it. She held my face with her hands, thumbing the flesh down my eyes.

She kissed my right eye, and stared right into me, “The color is of no importance.” Then she nipped my cheek, “I would never tire of staring at your eyes.” She kissed my lips, and said against my mouth,” Be it the color of crimson blood or the shade of cerulean. “

Another kiss, softly pressed against mine.

“It has always been _more_ than your eyes.”

Her sudden confession had caught me off guard. I tried forming words, but none managed to escape my lips. 

My hands trembled, searching for her face, “Chrollo.” I called, “Chrollo, I―”

My wrists were then pinned on the headboard, positioned above my head. The same opportunist she was, taking advantage of my state of uncertainty. It had weakened me enough that she was able to seize both of my wrists with just one hand. She leaned to my ear and whispered, “We should just focus on pleasuring each other, Kurapika.”

I tried struggling to escape from her grip. But her grip was too strong, she had dug her fingers deep into my skin.

“And I…” She purred, bathing her voice with amorous seductiveness. She ran her tongue on my earring, tugging at it gently with her teeth, while she was stroking with playful scratching on my inner thigh; almost touching my groin yet it didn’t. “…would gladly provide _more_ than my share.”

The tensed muscles in me unwound, conceding to her. She gave series of soft wet kisses on my face; from the back of my ear, biting on my earlobe, to my jawline, to my cheeks, chin, beside my mouth, but not on my lips. Her warm breath burned on my skin, pressing her lips on my neck; biting and sucking. Then she kissed my Adam’s apple as I swallowed deeply. Her fingers were light stamps on my abdomen, walking up and down and side and back and down again. She traced the line of my pelvis with the pointed touch of her nails. It went down and down and stopped, finding shelter underneath the cloth of my underpants. My breathing hastened with anticipation. She crawled her fingers, slowly and slowly. And I gasped loudly the moment her palm had come in contact with my erection. I could only close my eyes as I focused on breathing evenly when she began her gentle tortuous strokes. She gripped it hard, freeing my arousal from the constraints of my underwear. I failed to contain the throaty moan afterwards. She was smirking then and gave slow, slow pumps to me.

My hands flopped on my sides as she released them together with my throbbing length and before I knew it she had already positioned herself in between my thighs. She tugged the waistband of my pants and underwear, my hips raised, moving too quickly at her silent demand. She pulled them down, robbing me of the last pieces of my decency. I was completely bared before her.

She caressed my thighs with both hands and lips, even her teeth and tongue. She dipped down the mattress, spreading my legs more with her hands.

She gripped it again in her hand and licked from the base to the head, once, twice, as she stared at me. I grasped on the sheets with both hands, my eyelids were battling whether to close or open them.

“I shouldn’t have taken off the cuffs.” She said, her warm breath all over my erection.

I could hardly speak or even open my mouth as I ended up biting my lower lip while she repeatedly ran her tongue on the head, sucking and licking.

She backed away a bit, giving a feeble press of her thumb on the tip, playing with it.

“This vulnerable form of yours resides best beneath me.”

My head was thrown back into the headboard, producing a soft thud and a short lived pain, as she enveloped my length with the moistened warmth of her mouth, taking in just half of it whilst her tongue worked its wonders on it. She smiled as she stared at me, gauging me, gradually pushing more of my member inside her mouth. _Please. Please. Please._ I thought. It must’ve escaped from my lips that her smirk widened and she began moving her mouth back and forth. She began gripping my thighs, clawing, rubbing them gently. I grasped her head to guide her further into me, and thrust inside her mouth. Then it was just a flurry of activity as she increased her pace and pressure.

My hands couldn’t stay in one place, sometimes gripping the edge of the head board, or ripping the sheets, clenching my hand into fist or just simply covering my mouth or it would come back to the back of her head guiding me inside her. Moans and groans were either muffled or would freely slip from my lips. Soft and loud cusses echoed, most of them were stopped halfway. I tried opening my eyes to see her. She rarely left her eyes on me, just staring at me, squirming and writhing beneath her, and the way her eyes twinkled with triumphant wickedness conveyed her immense indulgence of the sight before her. I couldn’t steady my breath anymore. I couldn’t think properly. All sensations were centered on the dampened heat covering me; the nimble swirls of her tongue and the light grazes of her teeth when she’d pull away, timing them efficiently to intensify the arousal.

Then there was that distinct glint of mischief in her black orbs, that kind of stare she always did before she execute any devious plans she had in her. And without further notice, she had begun taking me right to the back of her throat. 

My hand was reaching out to her, scrabbling in the air, giving a light tug on the stray hair in my stomach.

“Ah, wait― _shit_ ― wait.”

She blinked at me, her lips were still wrapped around me.

“ _Stop― Please._ ” I was really begging.

Her mouth had finally left my erection, only to place a thumb on its head and pushed it quite firmly. I groaned as she asked me, “Ohh. Premature ejaculation?”

Sometimes she could really lack some sense of tact with her words. I looked away, just my pupils moving to the side, refusing to answer her.

“Then I’d just ruthlessly pleasure you until you’re ready to cum and cum again.” She made her point by kissing my head, leaving her mouth on me for a few precious seconds.

I felt the blood in my body coursing up, concentrated to my face and down to my arousal. 

“That’s not the only problem.” This time I moved the entirety of my head to the side, staring at the clock.

She followed the direction of my gaze, 11:30 pm.

“I know.” She whispered, mostly to the air. And there was a smile, pain and acceptance carved on the thin lines of her lips, but was gone as soon as it came.

She shifted, hovered on me and sat on my thighs once again, clamping them in her limbs.

“So,” she drawled, “I’m thinking of Lotus or Inverted Missionar―”

In one swift movement, I laid her back on the bed, yanking down her skirt before her bottom had touched the mattress. Tables have turned and now she was the down beneath me, exposed through and through.

“Too bad I’ll take charge from here, Chrollo”

Her pout triggered me to kiss her irritation away, I kissed her deeply. Parting from her mouth, I leaned back to feast my eyes on her body. The confidence and elegance exuded more than ever, they’ve always been her second skin; an invisible coat she had carried whenever, wherever. She was not speaking but her body, her eyes ―always her eyes― spoke volumes of her thoughts, daring me to explore, to discover _everything_ of her.

And I would gladly accept the challenge.

I loomed to her, knees in between her legs. Adoring the sight of her hair fanning on the sheets, rebellious strands strayed on every direction. She appeared so out of this world, an illusion I would never tire of gazing, even when I knew it was not real.

My lips roamed her skin, a kiss on her lips, more on her neck, then to the swell of her breasts; shaping her with my fingers from her waist to her thighs. Hoisting her leg, my eyes were glued to hers, giving another train of feathery kisses. 

Then it was the velvety skin of her inner thigh assaulted by my teeth, sucking again and again until it turned into a big love bite. Satisfied, my fingers slackened to gradually drop her limb. She hooked both legs on my waist, a little too hard, the pain seared through my body with its impact. Eliciting a grunt, stopped halfway when she had crossed her ankles on my back and applied more force into dragging me down. Our bodies were aligned, exchanging heat; we were so close, not even air could go in between us. 

I propped my elbows, positioned on both sides of her head and I was kissing her, again and again and again, ravaging her with much, _much_ need. She pressed me deeper, crumpling my hair in her fist, squeezing my arm with the other. Her interlocked ankles loosened for a moment. I took that chance to pull away and drop my head to her breast, taking in the whole nipple, rolling it under my tongue, suckling like a kid on his lollipop; hungry and impatient. She quivered beneath me, letting out shaky whimpers. 

Theory-wise, I had a vast knowledge of the concepts of sex. I was even forced by Leorio and Killua to watch porn videos in the disguise of ‘male bonding,’ though it was always done after Gon had fallen asleep. But practical usage of this knowledge for the first time is difficult, anxiety would always be there.

I looked up, “So, how many times have you done this?”

There was a pause, longer than I wanted it to be. She raked my scalp and pushed my lips into her skin.

“Let’s just say,” she began. My fingers crept downwards, inserting two of them inside her. Flimsy profanities rolled on her tongue as I pushed in and out in a leisure pace, “You don’t count the times y― _hahh_ ― brush your teeth.”

And the fact that she had a long line of experience when it comes to this, just added to my anxiety, even gave me insecurities. 

“I should’ve known.”

We were staring at each other. I slid away my fingers to caress her cheek, smearing it with her juices. She moved her ankles, dragging me closer to her, and I felt the tip of my groin touching hers. I swallowed the groan threatening to escape with the contact. It was her unvoiced invitation of urging me to move inside her. 

I ignored her pleas.

“If I didn’t have the cursed eyes, would you even approach me?”

She nodded, almost overlooked with the littlest movement of her head.

“Would you still be interested in me?”

“Yes,” Her voice remained even, but her eyes betrayed the desire, the desperation she’d stubbornly restrained; swirling with harmonious blend in her black orbs. “But you’ll end up as one of my ‘flings.”

“I see.” Then I shoved two fingers inside her again, and curled them. I heard a long sigh evolving into a moan from her. “And we get to do this more often.” I gave her kisses on her cheek, down to her jawline, to her neck and a peck to her lips, halting the uncontained moans from her, “We get to kiss more.” Another kiss, “No strings attached.”

I pulled away and nibbled her lower lip, staring at her half-lidded eyes.

“A lust-driven relationship existing just to fulfill our desires.” I put more pressure on her, seeing her eyes tightly shut, mouth parted with unlabored breathing, “Seems to be convenient for me.”

I trailed my fingers on her face worshipping each and every contour, every curves, resting my hand on her neck. My cock was lined up against her entrance.

She leaned into my palm, “Hating your fate now? I didn’t know you were that desperate to satisfy your _physiological_ needs as a male.”

One slow, tortuous thrust; not fully entering her, just testing my boundaries. She gasped sharply, digging her feet on my back.

“You know it would’ve been easier to hate it. “

It felt so good, _exceedingly_ good; incomparable from the warmth of her mouth wrapped around me a while ago. And I must’ve been too engrossed with her that clutched my neck with both hands whispering with venomous allure in my ear, “Further.”

I ignored her request once again.

“Then I would just blame everything on you and live my life loathing you.”

Another thrust, but not enough to reach the end. I heard her groan of frustration, the look on her face conveyed her persistence into holding on to her patience, barely hanging on it. A little curve on my lips was forming, I pulled away from her wet warmth.

“And you would always be the Evil witch my mother had imbued in my mind.”

I moved inside her again, stopping in the middle. She inhaled sharply, digging her nails on purpose, holding my neck with vice grip. She spoke, not even veiling the desperation in her voice, “F*ck, Kurapika.” Her voice laced with perturbed authority,” MOVE. Just _move._ ”

She raised her hips, crashing against my thrust. Patience was already lost in her, the smile on my lips was turned into a smirk.

I began moving above her, slowly at first. Experimenting with every push until I found my rhythm and she would whisper to my ear sweet words of encouragement, bucking up her hips to meet every thrust. The warm feeling inside her was addictive. Everything about her drove me to insanity. Seeing her vulnerable look beneath me, baring everything of her to me. The way her back arched, her moans, her pleas _‘More!’, ‘Harder’, ‘Faster!’_ and _God_ the way she called my name; screaming, begging, whispering _‘Kurapika’_ over and over again.

I wanted more of her. I wanted all of her. I increased my pace, ramming myself fully into her. I ravished her swollen lips, holding her closer to me; a clumsy, disorganized kiss. The searing pain of her insistent scratching on my back was the least of my concern at the moment. I felt her walls tightening on my throbbing length inside her. 

My muscles tensed and felt something on the pit of my stomach. I was close and so was she. 

With a few more hard thrusts, she was sent over the edge and I came not long after her, feeling rippling shockwaves dissolving into pleasure. My weight fell on her sinking into her shoulder giving a light peck on her smooth skin, our heated flesh touching one another, drowned in each other’s sweat.

Just the sound of our heavy breaths mingling in the air can be heard. Feeling a little more oriented, withdrew from her and felt her wince with the loss of contact.

I rolled away from her, lying on my back, trying to even out my breathing. I propped my elbows to sit upright and lean my back on the headboard.

I just stared at the wall. Focusing on every crack, every dirt, its color, its texture; anything, just to empty my mind. The numbers lit on the alarm clock bore holes from my peripheral vision, ordering me to stare at it. But I forced myself ignored its presence.

I counted the cracks; one, two, three; contemplating of its origin; four, five, then felt her shift her position. I welcomed the softness of her palm pressing against mine, allowing her to intertwine our fingers. She was staring up at me, “I had a wonderful night.” She kissed the back of my knuckles.

I returned her gaze, chuckling softly, “Sounds like a line after a one-night-stand.”

“Technically, this is a one-night-stand.”

“So, in the end, I still fell under the category of ‘one of your _flings._ ’“

She let out a soft laugh under her breath, I waited for her retort, but it didn’t came. Instead she crawled on my lap and claimed her personal seat once again. This time she was facing the night stand, I gathered her shoulders, cupped the side of her head and positioned her in the crook of my neck.

She traced a lazy line on my chest, “I take you had prepared your melodramatic parting words for me.” She drew small circles with her nail, “Perhaps you should start now, Kurapika. I wouldn’t mind cheat sheets, if you haven’t memorized it yet.”

“Shut up.” I retorted, lacking sharpness in it.

I combed her hair and kissed the crown of her head. She snuggled closer. I could feel her heated breath on my skin. She was warm. Still warm. Still there. Alive. Real. I rested my chin on her head, daring myself to look at the clock. I regretted it right away. _Less than ten minutes left._ I thought.

I felt her smile. She grabbed my hand, and placed a light kiss on the back of my hand. She held my palm, playing with each finger. “Will you miss me?”

I _ache_ for you. I _want_ you, _need_ you in my life. And ‘I’ll miss you’ is definitely an understatement. Yet the words wouldn’t come out from my lips. My eyes remained on the damn clock.

It wouldn’t stop. I knew that.

The numbers would continue counting forward, continue eating up the last bits of her time; greedily, until none was left.

And would still continue ticking afterwards, ignorant of its greedy consumption that ended her.

My face was jailed within the bars of her ten fingers, locking them so tight, afraid of letting me go. And then she stared at me, trapped me into the abyss of her obsidian eyes, 

“Will you miss me?” she repeated; demanding.

I held her fingers touching me, “If I say no?”

There was that all-knowing glint in her eyes, seeing through my lies, “Ohh? No more _loving_ stares on pretty girls with long, black hair?”

“You keep asking questions you already know the answer to. And some really cruel questions to boot.” I said, placing my hands around her shoulders again. I gave a smirk, “Sadist.”

“Why, thank you for the compliment.” She returned her stare on the wall, leaning her head onto my neck, “I’ll miss you too.” The tips of her finger traced a line on my arm, as light as a feather.

“Chrollo?” I called, trying to sound normal.

“Hmmm?”

“I just hate you.”

“ _I know~_ ” she spoke in a sing-song voice.

“Chrollo.” I called again and it came out as a croak. My hands tightened on her.

“Hmmm?”

“I wish I didn’t meet you.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I wish I didn’t read that story book. I wish you didn’t become a part of my life. I wish you didn’t invade my whole being. I wish I was in control of myself.” My hands were now covering my eyes, ”Hah. I just hate you. I fucking hate you, for leaving me, for―” A quiet sob came out from me, but I swallowed it right away. ” For dy― “ I couldn’t even complete the word, “ _Shit._ And then what?” 

All the words were just spilling from me, muffled inside my hands, ”You’d tell me to wait for god-knows-when just to have one last day with you? Just to see you _die_ before my eyes, _again_ ? Into my arms? Fucking me then dying?! Just how bullshit is that!”

My vision blurred when she brought down my hands. There were tears, I didn’t know they had fallen from me already. My eyes swam into those hot tears and she was wiping them, “Did you ever regret them?” She asked, her voice morose and poignant, as if by some miracle she was remembering all the memories we shared together.

I grabbed her waist, caged them within my hands and pressed my forehead in her shoulder. “Never.” I spoke with conviction, albeit trembling because of the tears. “I’d live countless lives and would still be with you.”

“And if I were not the black witch?” She straddled me, and we were staring at each other’s eyes, “If the curse never existed, if I were just a normal girl with a gorgeous face and voluptuous body, will you still be interested in me? Will I still be the one? The _only_ one to destroy you to pieces yet make you whole?”

I snorted, “Well, I’ve always had fetish with long, black haired girls since childhood.”

She chuckled, holding my face, inching closer to my lips, and whispered, “What a coincidence. I’ve always had a thing for blondies.”

She pulled away and combed my hair.

“Chrol―”

She smiled at me, pressing her fingers on my lips, “Time’s up for your dramatic parting words, boyfriend.” Her smile changed; it was sincere, aching but content. The heat from her palms were starting to fade, “Kurapika.” Another kiss, leaning her forehead on mine. Lost in each other’s eyes, as if the world had once again belonged to us, just us.

“Kurapika, I love y―”

And then she was gone, forever. My hands were seeking for the earrings she gave me. The diamond shaped jewel was gone. Her last fragments.

“Hah.” I laughed. “Fucking selfish bitch.” Every word was spoken with sharpness, with sadness that consumed my whole being. My arms started getting wet, that was when I noticed tears started flowing down my cheeks once again. 

They wouldn’t stop. Just as the sorrow I felt.

I held my arms so tight, as the sound of my simultaneous sobbing and laughing like crazy echoed in the room. Was I losing my sanity? I did not know, nor did I gave a damn. 

I was not sure if I spoke the words aloud or were they only spoken inside my head. But I repeated them over and over again.

“You didn’t even let me answer.”

**x-x-x**

_They were never entitled with an ‘And they lived happily ever after’ end in their story._

_She was the Evil witch with her evil curse; the abominable antagonist who only brought catastrophe to everyone and he was just the Villager A; the ill-fated mob character who suffered from her wickedness._

_No princesses; no princes or knights in shining armor to lead the story. No hardships to conquer together. Theirs was not a fairy tale to be told._

_It was just the curse; that brought them together and tore them apart._

_The boy was turned into The Chosen One who had brought the witch to her long awaited demise. The one who shouldered the bitter last drop of her malevolent spell. He who came into her equation that her power cannot even solve._

_And there were no regrets for the witch._

_For it was an unsurpassed ending she could ever attain._

_Her time had stopped; no more hopes for it to tic again. Nothing anymore. She was now forever gone to the face of the Earth._

_Yet the boy was left with another curse; the most powerful, most beautiful one the witch could ever give._

_The curse delicately created for him alone._

_And it would exist in him even after his death._

_The curse of her True Love._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do hope you still enjoyed this fic despite deviating from the canon KuroKura relationship. No revenge or hatred. No domestic violence. Lol. (Kurapika's the gentleman type for me who could not raise his hand against a girl) (And did I nail the sex scene? DID I? DID I?)
> 
> I'm just glad how the plot of this story evolved in my head, from just a harmless thought of, 'Heeeeeeey. What if Chrollo's the girl?' And well, it was such an achievement that I have written and finished this. Some of my bad writing habits were changed as I wrote this and I had gone a tinee bit beyond my comfort zones here. (I once told myself to NEVER EVER write a full smut scene. I ate those words. They were really delicious and filled me up for days even weeks or months I guess /SHOT)
> 
> And actually, there's this small voice at the back of my mind that kept screaming to me, 'YOU SHOULD'VE TURNED THIS INTO A MULTI-CHAP FIC!' Ideas kept coming to me and I couldn't contain them anymore in this one-shot. (I weep for these wasted ideas. –whispers- this would've had happier ending if it's a multi chap) But no, I don't want to start writing yet another multi chap fanfic on a whim and ending up dropping it. I've promised myself to start my life as a responsible author who finishes her works.
> 
> But I can coughtrycough write prompt requests with regards to this fic, if you ever have one.
> 
> If you got some questions, feel free to ask me, some important points are written vaguely here. Oh, and also feel free to point out my errors, or if there's something wrong with characterization (Please tell me if I gave justice to femChrollo's characterization! and again, the sex scene! Ogawd. That's the hardest part for me.) or whatev. It means a lot for me to know my strengths and weaknesses and improve them XD
> 
> Long author's note. Sorry.
> 
> P.S. I might be writing a kinda sequel for this. Just a one-shot about Kurapika's life afterwards. HA. HA. More train wreck of FEELS I guess.

**Author's Note:**

> To the lovely you (yes, you reading this author' note) who allotted some of his/her precious time reading this and is waiting for the next chapter; fret not my dear, part 2(the last part and where the juicyyyy parts are and a fair reminder that the next one would have twice the number of word count in this one) is on its way. Yeah. Maybe after 10 yrs, or when HxH manga updates *sweat drops* I-it's just that, writing a full smut scene for the first time fries my brain to ashes. Lol. But the rough draft is completed, just some coughMAJORcough polishing is needed.
> 
> And oh, uhhhh, it would mean the world to me if you share your thoughts with regards to this fic to me; or if you have suggestions or correct some mistakes I had here. I will love you forever if you do that.
> 
> *plops down on my imaginary fluffy fluffy bed* *hugs my imaginary pika dakimakura*
> 
> Finally, I can take a break…FOR NOW.


End file.
